From Newbie To Pro: Hollywood’s First Time Fathers Tackle The Tough Stuff

They may be new to the game, but these proud papas have got the whole daddy thing down! Diapers? Done. Sleep schedules? Nailed ‘em! Find out how some of Hollywood’s first-time fathers mastered everything from breastmilk to bath time in their first year as parents. Warning: Prepare to swoon!

Orlando Bloom According to his wife, Miranda Kerr, labor was a bit too much for him to bear, as evidenced by his request for an epidural – for himself! But now that their son, Flynn, is here, actor Orlando Bloom is enjoying all of the nuances of fatherhood … and his baby boy.
“My baby is amazing, even his head smells amazing,” gushes Bloom. “His breath, the whole thing, you could eat him! He’s a big, beautiful boy. He’s great.”

Neil Patrick Harris He sings, he dances, he acts; he can even make balloon animals (true story). And on top of all that, How I Meet Your Mother’s resident bro has also managed to overcome one of the biggest challenges for new parents – sleep deprivation.

“I sleep a fair amount,” says the actor and father of twins Gideon and Harper. “The babies sleep 12 hours a night, from like seven to seven. I don’t know how it happened. Well I do know – we had a sleep specialist for like four months and she’s unbelievable. So I get a decent amount of sleep!”

Sir Elton John When the public first learned that Sir Elton John and partner David Furnish had become parents, it was pretty much assumed that the couple would spare no expense to give their son all that he could ever want or need; even if it meant having fresh breastmilk FedExed to him in Los Angeles. Add pop queen Lady Gaga as a godmother, and playdates with Neil Patrick Harris’ twins, and, yeah, we’d say that Zachary Furnish-John has got some pretty powerful papas.

Mario Lopez He was the other guy who captured the heart of every teenage girl on NBC’s Saved By the Bell, but now that his neon colored tank tops and Hammer pants are stored away (we hope), Mario Lopez is busy charming his adorable daughter, Gia, who turns 1 next month.

“Fatherhood is my favorite role so far,” says the Extra co-host. And he’s lovin’ every minute of it; even the not so glamorous times.

“I’m the go-to-guy for diaper changing, I’ve gotten pretty good at it,” Lopez shares, adding, “It’s impressive the amount of stuff that comes out of the little thing. We’re talking all the way up the back explosions.”

Nick Cannon He’s been in the spotlight since he was a kid himself, but for America’s Got Talent host, Nick Cannon, becoming a father to twins Monroe and Moroccan has been a blessing, and his greatest accomplishment to date.

I’m in the happiest place I’ve ever been in my life. I never had more amazing things happening,” says Cannon. “I am humbled by God’s Favor!”

That’s not to say that he was never a little “freaked out about being a new dad.” Cannon describes the nights he’s spent lying awake, worrying about the twins getting hurt. “This is the kind of stuff that is making me go crazy when you have two new babies,” says Nick. “I cannot relax. I am OCD-ing. They don’t tell you this part about being a new parent.”

Fortunately, he’s catching on fast. And despite his diapers that “tend to leak,” Nick, like the other doting dads on our list, is learning firsthand that the joys of parenting always seem to outweigh everything else.

Watch all of the ups, downs, and in betweens of fatherhood through the eyes of Will Arnett’s character, Chris, on NBC’s new comedy Up All Night, co-starring Christina Applegate, Maya Rudolph, and Nick Cannon.

This post is sponsored by UP ALL NIGHT … Life is about balance. So what happens when you throw a new baby into it? Find out when the series premieres Wednesday, September 14 on NBC.